Matthew - Week 84

Sleeping Again 

READ 

Matthew 26:42-43 

42 Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. 

Jesus left Peter, James and John alone so He could go pray by Himself. His desire was to have the cup of suffering facing Him to be removed. His greater desire, however, was to do the will of His heavenly Father. The first time He went away to pray, the three disciples fell asleep. The second time He went away and returned He found them sleeping again.  

REFLECT 

Does it seem that Jesus would have been exasperated with the three disciples? Do you think they felt guilty? How do you feel when you fall asleep when someone is speaking? 

RESPOND 

Talk with a friend about not being hard on some people who fall asleep during a sermon. You may not know they have medical problems that cause that. They also may have come from physical labor and are extremely tired. They also may be mothers who have been up much of the night with children. 

The Time Has Come 

READ 

Matthew 26:44-46 

44 So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!” 

Jesus went away the third time from the three disciples. He prayed in much the same way as He had prayed previously. He told the disciples to have their rest but then announced His betrayer had come. Jesus asked the three disciples to come with Him as He went to meet the traitor. 

REFLECT 

Think about Jesus wanting the disciples to be with Him when He knew what was about to take place. Jesus desired the friendship of His disciples, and that now includes all believers. 

RESPOND 

Notice Jesus said, “The time has come.” This is similar to saying, “My hour has come.” Many times the Scriptures say His hour had not yet come (see John 2:4; 7:8, 30; 8:20). Then notice when He said His hour had come (John 17:1).  

Betrayed With a Kiss 

READ 

Matthew 26:47-49 

47 And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people. 48 The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.” 49 So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss. 

Judas arrived with an armed crowd sent by the religious leaders. Judas addressed Jesus as “Rabbi” not Lord, and gave Him a kiss. This was a kiss that tarnished all kisses. Later when the apostle Paul was writing his letters he would urge believers to greet each other with a “holy kiss” or “sacred kiss” (see Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:26).  

REFLECT 

Whatever the custom of greeting is in your culture, be sure it is done with love. 

RESPOND 

Talk with a friend about the kind of greeting with which you feel comfortable. It should be one that you would feel comfortable with and that the person being greeted would also be comfortable with it. 

Arrested 

READ 

Matthew 26:50-51 

50 Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 51 But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear. 

Notice the grace of Jesus in calling His traitor “My friend.” Jesus was immediately arrested and one of his disciples used his sword and slashed off the ear of the high priest’s slave. The disciple was likely trying to cut off his head and missed his target. Matthew does not specify who the disciple was that did this, but John identified the attacker as Peter his Gospel and gave us the name of the slave, Malchus (see John 18:10). Luke 22:51 also reveals that Jesus healed the slave’s ear.  

REFLECT 

Try to imagine what this terrible time was like as Jesus was arrested and the disciples were frightened. 

RESPOND 

Talk with someone about what you would have done had you been with Jesus on that scary night. Do you blame any disciple for what occurred that night? Would you have run or tried to defend Jesus? 

What Must Happen 

READ 

Matthew 26:52-54 

52 “Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. 53 Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? 54 But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” 

This was Jesus’ response to using the sword. Doing so minimized the power He had to call “thousands of angels” for protection. Some translations render this as more than “twelve legions of angels.” This was an expression that only the Son of God could justify using. He was more interested, however, in carrying out the will of the heavenly Father who had sent Him to fulfill prophecy.  

REFLECT 

Think of the power of the armies of angels at Jesus’ disposal, yet He was willing to go through all of this for lost mankind.  

RESPOND 

Spend time with a friend worshiping God for all that He did to provide salvation for you. The Father sent His only Son to suffer horribly and die on the cross that any person who would believe in Him could have salvation. As you think of this, read 1 John 4:7-12.